3 Simple Ideas to Reduce STRESS

Posted by:  Darlene Duncan CWDP, JSS, CCC, JCTC, JCDC
                  Training Coordinator

Are you stressed? Do you worry about __________________ (fill in the blank)? Are you aware that the majority of what we worry about never comes to pass? How much of your time and energy do you spend worrying about things that never happen? That’s time and energy that could be used in more constructive and positive endeavors.

Here are three simple ideas to help you reduce your stress.

1.   Stop watching the news 24/7 – When was the last time you heard some good news while watching the evening/morning/24 hour news? Every great once in a while they’ll have some feel good story but as a general rule the old adage is very true, ‘if it bleeds, it leads’. A lot of the time when I tell people this, at first they look at me like I just suggested they kill someone, then they ask me, “How will I know what’s going on in the world if I don’t watch the news?” Believe me, I haven’t watched the news in over five years and I know what’s going on in the world. Do I know all the details of the latest madness? No. If I did would it make a difference in the world? No! So why should I stress and depress myself by hearing about and viewing the insanity of the world in which we live? Instead, watch something that will make you laugh. Find a favorite old sitcom that’s in syndication and watch back-to-back episodes.

2.   Laugh – Yes, laughter is a wonderful stress reliever. Laughing stimulates several of our major organs, it stimulates our circulation and aids in muscle relaxation. Those are the short term benefits and there are long term health benefits as well. There’s even legitimate medical research to back it all up. If you’re interested in reading the details about laughter as a stress reliever click here to go to the Mayo Clinic.

3.   Take Deep Breaths – While laughing for no apparent reason might cause people to look at you strangely, you can do deep breathing anywhere and it’s virtually unnoticeable. Breathing deeply tells your brain to calm down. Your brain then passes that message on to your body. In addition to deep breathing there are other breathing exercises that can benefit you and reduce your stress and increase your alertness. Click here to read the details about multiple breathing exercises.

These are just three things can help keep your stress level under control. There’s no cost associated with any of these stress relievers. The reality is there are a great many things you can do to reduce and control your stress level and most of them are free.

Here’s a bonus piece of information. Research has shown that the majority of what we worry about never happens. So stop spending your mental energy and time worrying about things over which you have no control. Put that time and energy to a more constructive activity.